Therapy for Aspergers and High-Functioning Autism

"How can parents tell if their child has Asperger Syndrome rather than classic Autism? Also, what therapies are available for Asperger kids?"

The main difference between Autism and Aspergers is that the youngster dealing with Aspergers retains his/her early language skills. If you have a son or daughter that is having a greater degree of social difficulties than other kids, or has diminished communication skills and exhibits a restrictive pattern of thought and behavior, he or she may have Aspergers or High-Functioning Autism.

The peculiar symptom of Aspergers is the youngster’s obsessive interest in a single object or topic to the exclusion of any other ...she wants to know ALL about this one topic.

Sometimes the child's speech patterns and vocabulary may resemble that of a little professor. Other Aspergers symptoms include the inability to interact successfully with peers, clumsy and uncoordinated motor movements, repetitive routines or rituals, socially and emotionally inappropriate behavior, and last but not least, problems with non-verbal communication.

Aspergers kids find difficulty mingling with the general public. Even if they converse with others, they may exhibit inappropriate and eccentric behavior. The Aspergers child may always want to talk about his singular interest.

Developmental delays in motor skills (e.g., catching a ball, climbing outdoor play equipment, pedaling a bike, etc.) may also appear in the youngster. Kids with Aspergers often show a stilted or bouncy walk, which appears awkward.

The therapy for the Aspergers concentrates mainly on 3 core symptoms: physical clumsiness, obsessive or repetitive routines, and poor communication skills. It is unfortunate that there is no single treatment for these kids, but therapists do agree that the disorder can be treated successfully when the intervention is carried out at the earliest possible time.

The treatment package for Aspergers for kids involves medication for co-existing conditions, cognitive behavioral therapy, and social skills training. Aspergers treatment mainly helps to build on the youngster’s interests, teaches the task as a series of simple steps, and offers a predictable schedule.

Although kids living with Aspergers can manage themselves and their deficits, personal relationships and social situations are challenging for them. In order to maintain an independent life, the Aspergers individual requires moral support and encouragement to work successfully in mainstream jobs.

Studies are on the way to discover the best treatment for Aspergers, which includes the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to identify the abnormalities in the brain which causes malfunction of the same, which in turn result in Aspergers. Clinical trials are being conducted to identify the effectiveness of an anti-depressant in people Aspergers. Even the analysis of the DNA of Aspergers individuals and their families may cause a breakthrough in treatment.